Sanger officer-involved shooting leaves man critical

SANGER, Calif. (KFSN) -- A man is in critical condition after being shot multiple times by a police officer in Sanger, according to authorities.

The Sanger police officer had tried to pull over a stolen vehicle in the area of North and Academy avenues just before 6 p.m. Sunday, but the driver took off, Fresno County Sheriff's spokesman Chris Curtice said.

The pursuit lasted about 10 minutes before the driver of the stolen vehicle crashed at North and Brehler avenues. He lost control and ran into a fire hydrant and a telephone pole.

The Sanger police officer immediately got out of his vehicle, but the driver put the stolen car in reverse and tried to hit him, Curtice said. That's when the officer fired his gun, hitting the suspect multiple times, Curtice added.

The driver continued to drive away at a slower speed and was pursued by additional officers, authorities said. One of the officers forced the driver to stop by using his vehicle near Annadale Avenue and I Street.

One witness says he saw how it all ended.

"I was just thinking maybe someone might get hurt," said Zeke Hernandez. "I was actually really afraid for the citizens, and exactly what was going on, and who was being chased, and the whole predicament."

The driver was taken into custody and rushed to Community Regional Medical Center, where he was last listed in critical condition. His identity has not been released.

No officers were hurt, and the Fresno County Sheriff's Office is now leading the investigation.